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Statistics Sierra Leone has concluded a major three-day evaluation workshop aimed at assessing the performance and outcomes of the 2025 pilot census, as preparations intensify for the 2026 national population and housing census.
The workshop brought together key stakeholders to critically review both operational and technical aspects of the pilot phase. According to Statistics Sierra Leone, the exercise forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the quality, transparency, and reliability of the forthcoming nationwide census.
In a statement issued at the end of the session, the institution noted that the primary objective was to identify strengths and gaps in the pilot process while generating practical recommendations to guide improvements ahead of the main census.
Speaking during the workshop, the Statistician General, Andrew Bob Johnny, stressed the importance of the self-assessment process, describing it as a clear demonstration of the institution’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. He added that lessons learned from the pilot phase would play a crucial role in ensuring a more effective and credible national census.
Also addressing participants, Samuel Palmer, Quality Assurance Specialist at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), highlighted the simportance of a national census as a vital tool for informed decision-making, equitable resource allocation, and sustainable development. He reaffirmed UNFPA’s continued support to Statistics Sierra Leone throughout the census process.
The 2026 census is widely regarded as a critical national exercise that will shape government planning, development priorities, and the distribution of resources across the country. However, it has also become a subject of growing political tension, with the opposition All People’s Congress raising concerns over the credibility and transparency of the process, while the government maintains that adequate measures are being put in place to ensure a free, fair, and reliable census.
As preparations continue, the outcome of the census is expected not only to influence national development strategies but also to test public trust, amid the ongoing disagreement between the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) and the government over how the exercise will be conducted.
